The Flowering Wand

A deep exploration of the regenerative and magical secrets of sacred masculinity hidden in familiar myths both ancient and modern • Reveals the restorative fungi archetype of Osiris, the Orphic mysteries as an underground mycelium linking forests and people, how Dionysus teaches us about invasive species and playful sexuality, and the ecology of Jesus as depicted in his nature-focused parables • Liberates Tristan, Merlin, and the Grail legends from the bounds of Campbell’s hero’s journey and invites the masculine into more nuanced, complex ways of dealing with trauma, growth, and self-knowledge Long before the sword-wielding heroes of legend readily cut down forests, slaughtered the old deities, and vanquished their enemies, there were playful gods, animal-headed kings, mischievous lovers, trickster harpists, and vegetal magicians with flowering wands. As eco-feminist scholar Sophie Strand discovered, these wilder, more magical modes of the masculine have always been hidden in plain sight. Sharing the culmination of eight years of research into myth, folklore, and the history of religion, Strand leads us back into the forgotten landscapes and hidden secrets of familiar myths, revealing the beautiful range of the divine masculine, including expressions of male friendship, male intimacy, and male creative collaboration. In discussing Dionysus and Osiris, Strand encourages us to think like an ecosystem instead of like an individual. She connects dying, vegetal gods to the virtuous cycle of composting and decay, highlighting the ways in which mushrooms can restore soil and heal polluted landscapes. Exploring esoteric Christianity, the author celebrates the Gnostic Jesus of the Gospel of Thomas, imagining the ecology that the Rabbi Yeshua would have actually been referencing in his nature-focused parables. Strand frees Tristan, Merlin, and the Grail legends from the bounds of Campbell’s hero’s journey and invites the masculine into more nuanced, complex ways of dealing with trauma, growth, and self-knowledge. Strand reseeds our minds with new visions of male identity and shows how each of us, regardless of gender, can develop a matured ecological empathy and witness a blossoming of sacred masculine powers that are soft, curious, connective, and celebratory.

In this spellbinding book, Harry Potter film fans of all ages can explore Ollivander's wand shop and learn what makes a wand. Featuring the most magical moments from the Harry Potter films, this guidebook includes a wand that activates seven different spell sounds. Full color. Consumable.

Discover the wands of your favorite Harry Potter characters. In the Harry Potter films, each wand is as unique as the witch or wizard who wields it. From Hermione Granger’s elegant, vine-wrapped wand to the bone-inlaid wands of the Death Eaters, each was designed and crafted by the filmmakers to reflect its owner’s identity. Harry Potter: The Wand Collection is a visual guide to these magical wands, their makers, and the characters who mastered them. Profiles of each wand feature stunning new photography of the original props, wand statistics, insights from the cast and crew, and other filmmaking secrets from the Warner Bros. archive. This collectible volume is an ideal resource for both wand-wielding veteran fans seeking to learn the history behind these beloved items and a new generation just beginning their journey into the wizarding world.

The New York Times bestselling series! HER WORLD-ALTERING SECRET CAN’T BE HIDDEN MUCH LONGER Elloren Gardner hides the most powerful secret in all Erthia—she is the Black Witch of Prophecy, and destined to triumph…or be used as the ultimate weapon of destruction. Separated from everyone she loves, isolated and hunted, Elloren must turn to the last person she can trust—her fastmate, Commander Lukas Grey. With the Mage forces of Gardneria poised to conquer all of Erthia, Elloren has no choice but to ally with Lukas and combine their power to keep herself out of the hands of Gardnerian leader Marcus Vogel…the holder of the all-consuming Shadow Wand. With just weeks to train to become a warrior, and no control over her magic, Elloren finds unexpected allies among those under orders to kill her. It’s time to step up. To fight back. And to forge onward through the most devastating loss yet. Critics are raving about Laurie Forest’s incredible debut, The Black Witch: “Forest uses a richly imagined magical world to offer an uncompromising condemnation of prejudice and injustice.” —Booklist, starred review “Exquisite character work, an elaborate mythology, and a spectacularly rendered universe make this a noteworthy debut, which argues passionately against fascism and xenophobia.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review “This briskly paced, tightly plotted novel enacts the transformative power of education, creating engaging characters set in a rich alternative universe with a complicated history that can help us better understand our own.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review Books in The Black Witch Chronicles: The Black Witch The Iron Flower The Shadow Wand The Demon Tide Wandfasted (ebook novella)* Light Mage (ebook novella)* * Also available in print in The Rebel Mages anthology

When a little girl from the human world becomes lost in the magical Realm, Jessie's only hope of finding her is the wand of a brilliant but reclusive magician, and if she succeeds she must still face Mrs. Tweedie, who is up to no good.

Wands at the ready! Whether you're a Hufflepuff or a Slytherin, from an old wizarding family or new to the wizarding world, your magical journey usually begins at Ollivanders wand shop. In this spellbinding hardcover book, Harry Potter film fans of all ages can explore Ollivanders and learn what makes a wand. Then take a wand for a spin as you discover the most magical moments from the Harry Potter films in this incredible book. The wand included activates seven different spell sounds. Simply perform the proper wand motion, hold the wand over the spell you wish to use, and tap the button. It's just like magic!

In this best-selling sequel to Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg, Newbery Honor-winning author Gail Carson Levine and illustrator David Christiana spin a riveting fairy tale about the dangers of dreams come true.

Discover the wands of your favourite Harry Potter characters with this deluxe gift book. In the world of the Harry Potter films, characters' wands are a sheer expression of their personality--the wand chooses the wizard, after all. Whether talon-shaped like Bellatrix Lestrange's or simple and elegant like Hermione Granger's, each wand in the Harry Potter films was developed to be a reflection of its owner's identity. This deluxe book comes in a novelty format reminiscent of one of Ollivander's wand boxes and contains a detailed pictorial guide to the many magical characters and wands of the Harry Potter films.

The New York Times bestselling series! Dark forces are on the rise in this sweeping sequel to The Black Witch by critically acclaimed author Laurie Forest. Elloren Gardner and her friends were only seeking to right a few wrongs when they rescued a Selkie and freed a military dragon. The last thing they expected was to be thrust into a realm-wide underground resistance against Gardnerian conquest. While the Resistance fights the harsh rulings of the Mage Council, Gardnerian soldiers descend upon the University…led by none other than Lukas Grey, now commander of the nearby military base. Though Elloren tries to keep him at arm’s length, Lukas is determined to tie himself to her, convinced that she’s the heir to the power of the Black Witch, a legacy that will decide the future of Erthia. As his magic calls to her, Elloren finds it more and more difficult to believe she’s truly powerless, as her uncle always claimed. Critics are raving about Laurie Forest’s incredible debut, The Black Witch: “Forest uses a richly imagined magical world to offer an uncompromising condemnation of prejudice and injustice.” —Booklist, starred review “Exquisite character work, an elaborate mythology, and a spectacularly rendered universe make this a noteworthy debut, which argues passionately against fascism and xenophobia.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review “This briskly paced, tightly plotted novel enacts the transformative power of education, creating engaging characters set in a rich alternative universe with a complicated history that can help us better understand our own.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review Books in The Black Witch Chronicles: The Black Witch The Iron Flower The Shadow Wand The Demon Tide Wandfasted (ebook novella)* Light Mage (ebook novella)* * Also available in print in The Rebel Mages anthology